Singlestick; USA, 1914

This 1914 postcard from boot camp in Brownsville, Texas, depicts young cadets training with wooden sabers made from hickory and leather guards. Compared to their antecedents in the British and U.S. Navies, their gear seems functional and reasonably complete. The absence of kneepads indicates that leg cuts were no longer used.

The masks have additional external padding around the crown, made from duck or heavy canvas. Since masks tend to be quite sturdy, I believe this was done to keep the wooden blades from being damaged by the metal wire mesh.